Vietnamese amateur wins prize at international weather photo contest

Taken by Vu Trung Huan in northern Phu Tho's Tan Son District, the photo depicts an early morning at the Long Coc tea hills just as the sunrays light up mounds of green amid lingering mist.

"The Long Coc tea hills have strange and mysterious qualities when the sun is not yet up. Hidden in the morning mist, the green color of tea leaves still stands out. Early in the morning, holding a cup of tea, taking a breath of fresh air and watching the gentle stretch of green tea hills... nothing equals it," Huan said.

"Tea Hills" by Vu Trung Huan. Photo courtesy of RMetS.

The fifth Weather Photographer of the Year contest was organized by The Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS), a British institution that promotes academic and public engagement in weather and climate science, and U.S. forecaster AccuWeather.

The contest attracted over 7,700 photos from around the world, of which 26 were shortlisted. The winner was Rudolf Sulgan for a shot of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York on a snowy day.

Previously, another shot of the Long Coc tea hills was highlighted at the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards. Located around 100 kilometers to the northwest of Hanoi, the tea hills are the main source of income for many locals.

Looking like giant upturned bowls placed next to each other, they have acquired fame not only for their tea, but also for their outstanding scenic beauty, particularly at dawn, when they emerge from a shroud of mist.